First All-Ireland Poetry Slam team announced
On Friday the 11th of May 2007, history was made as 2 regional winners from each province sized up their compositions at McHugh’s pub in Belfast, the oldest building in the city. The eight poets had only 2 minutes and 15 seconds to perform each of their pieces in rounds one and two. Then four went through to the final round; Gerard McKeown (Ulster), Colin McKeown (Ulster – unrelated), Noel Sweeney (Leinster) and Brendan Murphy (Connaught).
The excellent organising from Mark Madden (Creative Writer’s Network) and dazzling MC work from Chloe Poems made this a truly great event, and benchmarks the beginning of many to come. The intention is for the annual event to alternate throughout the four provinces.
First and second places went to Brendan Murphy and Gerard McKeown, who now represent the Irish team. They’ll be up against the Welsh, English and Scottish at the BBC Radio Four Slam Championships in July.
Video clips of each performance
Round 1
Brendan Murphy – It’s History
Chris Collins – Leaving Infinity
Gerard McKeown – Beautiful Goth
Colin McKeown – Goldfish Memory
Round 2
Brendan Murphy – Slum Pottery
Gerard McKeown – Your Bathroom, An Apology
Chris Collins – I believe in God
Colin McKeown – No Score Draw
Final Round
Colin McKeown – Learning to skim stones
Brendan Murphy – A very concise history of 20th Century Art
Gerard McKeown – David Hasselhoff, an Obituary
